Electrolytic Diaphragm Pumps Having Rigid Reservoirs

摘要

In various embodiments, an implantable drug-delivery device features one or more rigid drug reservoirs from which therapeutic agents are administered and which are refilled from a flexible reservoir within the device.

主权项

1. An implantable drug-delivery device comprising:
a rigid housing having an interior; disposed within the interior of the housing:
a flexible reservoir for containing a therapeutic agent therein,a rigid envelope defining therewithin (i) a rigid reservoir and (ii) an expandable electrolysis chamber comprising therewithin a plurality of electrolysis electrodes and an electrolysis fluid,a diaphragm separating the electrolysis chamber from the rigid reservoir; anda check valve (i) fluidically connecting the flexible reservoir and the rigid reservoir and (ii) configured to allow flow of liquid from the flexible reservoir to the rigid reservoir but to prevent flow of liquid from the rigid reservoir to the flexible reservoir; a cannula fluidically coupled to the rigid reservoir and having an exit port outside of the housing; a refill port fluidically coupled to the flexible reservoir and having an entry port outside of the housing; and circuitry for operating the electrodes to (i) cause evolution of gas from the electrolysis fluid to thereby expand the electrolysis chamber within the rigid envelope and drive therapeutic agent from the rigid reservoir out through the cannula and (ii) stop evolution of gas from the electrolysis fluid, resulting dissolution of gas back into the electrolysis fluid generating a vacuum within the rigid reservoir sufficient to crack the check valve and at least partially refill the rigid reservoir with therapeutic agent from the flexible reservoir.